Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Motivations For Entering Volunteer Service And Factors Affecting Productivity: A Mixed Method Survey Of Steps-Ovc Volunteer Hiv Caregivers In Zambia, Jessica Price, Tina Moyo, Stephanie Topp, Drosin Mulenga, Mardieh Dennis, Mathew Ngunga

HIV and AIDS

This study by the Population Council and the Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative was designed to examine the motivations of individuals volunteering as STEPS-OVC caregivers; to explore their experiences in service, including perceived barriers to carrying out their volunteer work and if, and how, their expectations for volunteering had been met or not; to assess individuals’ intent to continue caregiving; and to ascertain factors associated with volunteer productivity. Two main findings stand out from this study: that communitarian and religious helping values were virtually universal in the study population, and that a majority of the volunteers indicated economic and material interests and …

High Hiv Incidence Among Male Injection Drug Users In Delhi, India, Waimar Tun, Lopamudra Saraswati, Mary Philip Sebastian, Vartika Sharma, Amita Yadav, Ira Madan, Ibou Thior, Avina Sarna

HIV and AIDS

India has a large injection drug user (IDU) population estimated at 177,000. The overall national HIV prevalence is around 7.2 percent in this group, the highest among all key populations in the country. There is limited HIV incidence data among IDUs in India. In collaboration with Arise—Enhancing HIV Prevention Programs for At-Risk Populations, the Population Council initiated a prospective cohort study at five centers in Delhi to examine HIV incidence and behavior change both pre-introduction and post-introduction of HIV prevention services among IDUs. HIV transmission risk remains high among IDUs in Delhi despite targeted prevention interventions. Despite the widespread availability …

Situation Analysis Of Programs To Meet The Hiv Prevention, Care, And Treatment Needs Of Persons With Disabilities In Ghana, Uganda, And Zambia, Waimar Tun, Jerry Okal, Katie D. Schenk, Meredith Sheehy, Emmanuel Kuffour, Selina F. Esantsi, Hilary Asiah, Grimond Moono, Felix Mutale, Rita Kyeremaa, Edson Ngirabakunzi, Atwijukire Justus

HIV and AIDS

National HIV strategic plans, HIV-related services, and HIV outreach efforts have tended to overlook persons with disabilities, and persons with disabilities are not reached by general HIV prevention, care, support, and treatment campaigns and services. To increase our understanding of how to make HIV programming more inclusive for persons with disabilities, HIVCore and partners conducted a three-country situation analysis (Uganda, Zambia, and Ghana). The study explored existing HIV services for persons with disabilities and determined the factors affecting their access to and use of HIV/sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Key findings: Persons with disabilities experience greater sexual vulnerability to …

A Toolkit For Developing Bilingual Lexicons For International Hiv Prevention Clinical Trials, Catalina B. Ramirez, Natasha Mack, Barbara Friedland

HIV and AIDS

No standardized process exists for developing a set of agreed upon terms, definitions, and translations in local languages that ensures participants understand both technical and nontechnical terms used in a clinical trial context. HIV prevention trials deal with a disease that is stigmatized and with sexual behaviors that may not be openly discussed, thus care must be taken in the selection of words to ensure terms are appropriate for use in the context of a clinical trial and understandable but not offensive. The lack of a standardized process can make it difficult for researchers to decide which words to use, …

Latexin’S Role In Regulating Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells, Yi Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Previous studies in our lab identified a novel gene, latexin (Lxn), that regulates murine hematopoietic stem cells through balancing apoptosis, self-renewal and proliferation. In these dissertation studies, I performed a series of experiments to examine the function of Lxn using a Lxn conventional knockout mouse, and characterize Lxn’s role in the presence of hematopoietic stresses such as ionizing radiation, cytokines induced-mobilization, and hematopoietic malignancy.

The first series of experiments was designed to determine the role of Lxn in hematopoiesis under homeostatic conditions. I found that Lxn-/- mice exhibited hyperproliferative hematopoiesis, a repopulation advantage and elevated self-renewal capacity …

Prevalence Of Acute Kidney Injury Using Urine Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin As An Early Biomarker In Neonates With Perinatal Asphyxia, Farida Essajee

Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of perinatal asphyxia occurring in up to 61% of the neonates. Currently the diagnosis of AKI is based on serum creatinine levels and clinically by oliguria, however these are late markers of the disease. More novel biomarkers are emerging that predict the diagnosis early. Current research indicates urine NGAL as an early marker for AKI, yet there is paucity of data about its use in term neonates with perinatal asphyxia. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of acute …

In Memoriam: Edmund D. Pellegrino, George P. Smith Ii

Scholarly Articles

No abstract provided.

Gently Into The Good Night: Toward A Compassionate Response To End-Stage Illness, George P. Smith Ii

Scholarly Articles

End-of-life decision making by health care providers must respect individual patient values. Indeed, these values must always be viewed as the baseline for developing and pursuing patient-centered palliative care for those with terminal illness. Co-ordinate with this fundamental bioethics principle is that of beneficence or, in other words, respect for conduct which benefits the dying patient by alleviating end-stage suffering — be it physical or existential. Compassion, charity, agape and/or just common sense, should be a part of setting normative standards and of legislative and judicial responses to the task of managing death. Aided by the principles of medical futility, …

Breast Health Teaching In Predominantly African American Rural Mississippi Delta, Kaye Wilson-Anderson, Renee P. Williams, Tracilia Beacham, Naekhia Mcdonald

Faculty Publications - College of Nursing

This study's primary focus was breast health education to rural African American women in Mississippi and training of community members. Through practice in this area, women were found to lack knowledge of breast health which is the third leading cause of death in Mississippi Black women. They were open to education: N = 130, t = -16.6, df = 126, p < .001; 1 year, N = 35; 2-3 year N = 16 and 3 trained. Data suggest knowledge increased, a small percentage continued practices and community members would become trainers. One participant was diagnosed with breast cancer, received treatment and remained cancer-free after two years.

A Distinction Without A Moral Difference? An Essay On The Difference Between Palliative Sedation And Physician-Assisted Death, Patrick T. Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

Professionals engaged in palliative care have a responsibility to treat their patients by aggressively managing pain and certain kinds of suffering within legal and professional ethical boundaries. Many medical professionals and ethicists, rightly or wrongly, have considered the practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, which can be categorized as instances of physician-assisted death (PAD), to be beyond the scope of ethically appropriate health care. Many of these same individuals who oppose PAD, and the professional organizations they sometimes represent, often embrace, at the same time, the practice of palliative/terminal sedation at the end of life. Palliative sedation is thought to …

Simplified Regimens For Management Of Neonates And Young Infants With Severe Infection When Hospital Admission Is Not Possible, Antoinette Tshef, Adrien Lokangaka, Cyril Engmann, Fabian Esamai, Peter Gisore, Adejumoke Idowu Ayede, Adegoke Gbadegesin Falade, Ebunoluwa A. Adejuyigbe, Chineme Henry Anyabolu, Robinson D. Wammanda, William N. Ogala, Lu Gram, Simon Cousens, Rajiv Bahl, Nigel Rollins, Sachiyo Yoshida, Shamim Ahmad Qazi

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: In resource-limited settings, most young infants with signs of severe infection do not receive the recommended inpatient treatment with intravenous broad spectrum antibiotics for 10 days or more because such treatment is not accessible, acceptable or affordable to families. This trial was initiated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Nigeria to assess the safety and efficacy of simplified treatment regimens for the young infants with signs of severe infection who cannot receive hospital care.

Methods: This is a randomized, open-label equivalence trial in which 3600 young infants with signs of clinical severe infection will be enrolled. The …

The Influence Of Gender And Aging On The Neural Circuitry Supporing Facial Emotion Processing In Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, Emily Briceno

Wayne State University Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is associated with decrements in facial emotion processing (FEP). Previous studies investigating the neural substrates of these decrements have often reported hyperactivity of emotion processing circuitry. Neural circuitry supporting FEP has been shown to be different between healthy men and women, and between young and elder adults. However, no prior studies have investigated how gender and aging affect emotion processing circuitry in individuals with MDD. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of gender and aging on emotion processing circuitry in MDD. One hundred-ten adults, grouped into subgroups according to MDD status, gender, and age …

Hope At The End Of Life Among U.S. Military Veterans, Jaime L. Huffman

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the meaning of hope at the end of life among Veterans. As people enter the terminal phase of life hope becomes especially important. Recent research has been conducted examining hope among various cultural groups and their experiences of the phenomenon. These studies showed that although hope is a universal phenomenon, different cultural groups ascribe different meanings to it. These cultural variations are important for nurses to consider when caring for patients.

Research conducted among Veterans has shown that as a cultural group, Veterans have different experiences and needs throughout their lives …

Preclinical Development Of Phytocannabinoid- And Endocannabinoid- Based Pharmacotherapies For The Treatment Of Ethanol-Induced Neurodegeneration, Daniel J. Liput

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Excessive ethanol consumption, characteristic of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), is associated with widespread neurodegeneration and cognitive and behavioral impairments that may contribute to the chronic and relapsing nature of alcoholism. Therefore, identifying novel targets that can afford neuroprotection will undoubtedly aid current treatment strategies for AUDs. The cannabinoids have been shown to provide neuroprotection in a variety of preclinical models of neurodegeneration; however minimal data is available regarding the use of cannabinoid-based pharmacotherapies for treating ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. Therefore, the current dissertation examined the overarching hypothesis: the cannabinoids are a therapeutic strategy to afford neuroprotection in the context of ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. …

Identification Of Potential Synthetic Lethal Genes To P53 Using A Computational Biology Approach, Xiaosheng Wang, Richard Simon

Journal Articles: Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

BACKGROUND:

Identification of genes that are synthetic lethal to p53 is an important strategy for anticancer therapy as p53 mutations have been reported to occur in more than half of all human cancer cases. Although genome-wide RNAi screening is an effective approach to finding synthetic lethal genes, it is costly and labor-intensive.

METHODS:

To illustrate this approach, we identified potentially druggable genes synthetically lethal for p53 using three microarray datasets for gene expression profiles of the NCI-60 cancer cell lines, one next-generation sequencing (RNA-Seq) dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, and one gene expression data from the Cancer …

Characterization Of Induced Neural Progenitors From Skin Fibroblasts By A Novel Combination Of Defined Factors., Changhai Tian, Qiang Liu, Kangmu Ma, Yongxiang Wang, Qiang Chen, Randall Ambroz, David L. Klinkebiel, Yuju Li, Yunlong Huang, Jianqing Ding, Jie Wu, Jialin C. Zheng

Journal Articles: Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience

Recent reports have demonstrated that somatic cells can be directly converted to other differentiated cell types through ectopic expression of sets of transcription factors, directly avoiding the transition through a pluripotent state. Our previous experiments generated induced neural progenitor-like cells (iNPCs) by a novel combination of five transcription factors (Sox2, Brn2, TLX, Bmi1 and c-Myc). Here we demonstrated that the iNPCs not only possess NPC-specific marker genes, but also have qualities of primary brain-derived NPCs (WT-NPCs), including tripotent differentiation potential, mature neuron differentiation capability and synapse formation. Importantly, the mature neurons derived from iNPCs exhibit significant physiological properties, such as …

Community Knowledge, Attitude And Practice About Malaria In A Low Endemic Setting Of Shewa Robit Town, Northeastern Ethiopia, Andargie Abate, Abraham Degarege, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Since malaria is one of the foremost public health problems in Ethiopia, assessment of situation of the disease, and communities' knowledge and perceptions about malaria is necesary to institute appropriate preventive and control measures. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess malaria prevalence and knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) about the disease among ShewaRobit Town community, northeastern Ethiopia.

METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Shewa Robit Town from October to November 2011. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. A total of 425 individuals were examined for malaria using thin …

Gaps In Survey Data On Cancer In American Indian And Alaska Native Populations: Examination Of Us Population Surveys, 1960-2010, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Tinka Duran, Jim P. Stimpson, Corey Smith

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: Population-based data are essential for quantifying the problems and measuring the progress made by comprehensive cancer control programs. However, cancer information specific to the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is not readily available. We identified major population-based surveys conducted in the United States that contain questions related to cancer, documented the AI/AN sample size in these surveys, and identified gaps in the types of cancer-related information these surveys collect.

METHODS: We conducted an Internet query of US Department of Health and Human Services agency websites and a Medline search to identify population-based surveys conducted in the United States from …

Distinctive G Protein-Dependent Signaling By Protease-Activated Receptor 2 (Par2) In Smooth Muscle: Feedback Inhibition Of Rhoa By Camp-Independent Pka, Wimolpak Sriwai, Sunila Mahavadi, Othman Al-Shboul, John R. Grider, Karnam S. Murthy

Physiology and Biophysics Publications and Presentations

We examined expression of protease-activated receptors 2 (PAR2) and characterized their signaling pathways in rabbit gastric muscle cells. The PAR2 activating peptide SLIGRL (PAR2-AP) stimulated Gq, G13, Gi1, PI hydrolysis, and Rho kinase activity, and inhibited cAMP formation. Stimulation of PI hydrolysis was partly inhibited in cells expressing PAR2 siRNA, Gaq or Gai minigene and in cells treated with pertussis toxin, and augmented by expression of dominant negative regulator of G protein signaling (RGS4(N88S)). Stimulation of Rho kinase activity was abolished by PAR-2 or Ga13 siRNA, and by Ga13 minigene. PAR2-AP induced a biphasic contraction; initial contraction was …

Building Kcnq1/Kcne1 Channel Models And Probing Their Interactions By Molecular-Dynamics Simulations, Yu Xu, Yuhong Wang, Xuan-Yu Meng, Mei Zhang, Min Jiang, Meng Cui, Gea-Ny Tseng

Physiology and Biophysics Publications and Presentations

The slow delayed rectifier (I_Ks) channel is composed of KCNQ1 (pore-forming) and KCNE1 (auxiliary) subunits, and functions as a repolarization reserve in the human heart. Design of I_Ks-targeting anti-arrhythmic drugs requires detailed three-dimensional structures of the KCNQ1/KCNE1 complex, a task made possible by Kv channel crystal structures (templates for KCNQ1 homology-modeling) and KCNE1 NMR structures. Our goal was to build KCNQ1/KCNE1 models and extract mechanistic information about their interactions by molecular-dynamics simulations in an explicit lipid/solvent environment. We validated our models by confirming two sets of model-generated predictions that were independent from the spatial restraints used …

S3-S4 Linker Length Modulates The Relaxed State Of A Voltage-Gated Potassium Channel, Michael F. Priest, Jérôme J. Lacroix, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea, Fancisco Bezanilla

Physiology and Biophysics Publications and Presentations

Abstract

Voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) are membrane protein modules found in ion channels and enzymes that are responsible for a large number of fundamental biological tasks, such as neuronal electrical activity. The VSDs switch from a resting to an active conformation upon membrane depolarization, altering the activity of the protein in response to voltage changes. Interestingly, numerous studies describe the existence of a third distinct state, called the relaxed state, also populated at positive potentials. Although some physiological roles for the relaxed state have been suggested, little is known about the molecular determinants responsible for the development and modulation of VSD …

A Rare Case Of Aeromonas Hydrophila Catheter Related Sepsis In A Patient With Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving Steroids And Dialysis: A Case Report And Review Of Aeromonas Infections In Chronic Kidney Disease Patients, Muhammad Abdul Mabood Khalil, Abdur Rehman, Waqar Uddin Kashif, Manickam Rangasami, Jackson Tan

Section of Nephrology

Aeromonas hydrophila (AH) is an aquatic bacterium. We present a case of fifty-five-year-old gentleman with chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to crescentic IgA nephropathy who presented to us with fever. He was recently pulsed with methyl prednisolone followed by oral prednisolone and discharged on maintenance dialysis through a double lumen dialysis catheter. Blood culture from peripheral vein and double lumen dialysis catheter grew AH. We speculate low immunity due to steroids and uremia along with touch contamination of dialysis catheter by the patient or dialysis nurse could have led to this rare infection. Dialysis catheter related infection by AH is …

Mentoring For Educational Change An East African Case Study, Tashmin Khamis, Marilyn Chapman

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

In 2012, a partnership was begun between Aga Khan University (AKU) and Academics Without Borders Canada (AWBC). In the initial project, three mentors from AWBC worked with nursing faculty on three East African campuses of AKU with a focus on developing more interactive teaching skills and scholarship. Following this four-month project, two of the mentors continued to work with nursing faculty to develop capacity. The relationship between AKU and AWBC has been formally extended with the initiation of several new projects, all centred on strengthening the student learning experience.

Treatment Of Orbital Haemangiopericytoma With Surgery And Preoperative Embolization, Irfan Jeeva, B Y P Chang, L Bagdonaite, G Kalantzis Kalantzis, T E Fearnley Fearnley, A Ismail, T Patankar Patankar, T Goddard

Section of Ophthalmology

Eye is the official journal of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. It aims to provide the practising ophthalmologist with information on the latest clinical and laboratory-based research.

Nutrition Political Economy, Pakistan. Province Report: Punjab, Shehla Zaidi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Akhtar Rashid, Gul Nawaz, Noorya Hayat, Shandara Khan Mohmand, Andres Mejia Acosta

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section

No abstract provided.

The Political Economy Of Undernutrition National Report: Pakistan, Shehla Zaidi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Shandana Khan Mohmand, Andres Mejia Acosta

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section

No abstract provided.

Partner Support In A Cohort Of African American Families And Its Influence On Pregnancy Outcomes And Prenatal Health Behaviors, Jennifer K. Straughen, Cleopatra H. Caldwell, Alford A. Young Jr, Dawn P. Misra

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

We examined how two indicators of partner involvement, relationship type and paternal support, influenced the risk of pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth, low birth weight) and health behaviors (prenatal care, drug use, and smoking) among African American women.

Methods

Interview and medical record data were obtained from a study of 713 adult African American women delivering singletons between March 2001 and July 2004. Women were enrolled prenatally if they received care at one of three Johns Hopkins Medical Institution (JHMI) prenatal clinics or post-partum if they delivered at JHMI with late, no or intermittent prenatal care. Relationship type was …

Systems Analysis Reveals A Transcriptional Reversal Of The Mesenchymal Phenotype Induced By Snail-Inhibitor Gn-25, Asfar S. Azmi, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, Bin Bao, Bum-Joon Park, Sun-Hye Lee, Gyu Yong-Song, Gregory Dyson, Chandan K. Reddy, Fazlul H. Sarkar, Ramzi M. Mohammad

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

HMLEs (HMLE-SNAIL and Kras-HMLE, Kras-HMLE-SNAIL pairs) serve as excellent model system to interrogate the effect of SNAIL targeted agents that reverse epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We had earlier developed a SNAIL-p53 interaction inhibitor (GN-25) that was shown to suppress SNAIL function. In this report, using systems biology and pathway network analysis, we show that GN-25 could cause reversal of EMT leading to mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) in a well-recognized HMLE-SNAIL and Kras-HMLE-SNAIL models.

Results

GN-25 induced MET was found to be consistent with growth inhibition, suppression of spheroid forming capacity and induction of apoptosis. Pathway network analysis of mRNA expression …

Are Your S'S In Effect? Ensuring Culturally Responsive Physical Education Environments, Brian Culp

Faculty Articles

Schools have rapidly becoming a kaleidoscope of ethnicities and cultures represented by demographic changes that have affected America’s schools. As educators in this era of change, a unique opportunity exists to ensure quality physical education for all students. Culturally responsive practices in the classroom can assist in minimizing students' alienation as they attempt to adjust to the different "worlds" often represented in school.

Health Promotion In The Workplace: Exploring Perspectives Of Barriers And Incentives To Employee Participation, Amanda Conlon

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The growth in worksite health promotion programs has grown over the past 30 years. However, some of today's programs lack one or more of the fundamentals needed to achieve their goals. Common shortcomings include poor participation levels, lack of appropriate incentives, lack of options for program delivery, and lack of tailoring programs to meet the needs and wants of a diverse workforce. The purpose of this study was to identify what influences employees' decisions regarding participation in worksite wellness programs. Opinions of eligible worksite health promotion participants were collected using a web-based questionnaire adopted from the 2004 Porter Novelli HealthStyles …